73 Life-Changing Self Care Ideas Every Woman Should Try

These 73 Life-changing self care ideas every woman should try will help you reflect and ultimately have some ideas to take action and help you make necessary time for yourself!

Ladies, we are typically masters of putting ourselves and our personal needs after those of the people we love and care about. Usually this is done with the best intentions of taking time for us. Unfortunately, we typically just never get there. We are all guilty of this at some point.

There are so many reasons, excuses, things to be done, you name it! The reality is, we have to make time to take care of ourselves.

If you are one of those women that has already discovered this, outstanding! If not, remember, taking care of ourselves feels selfish but in reality that is very far from the truth. I have experienced both sides of this in my own life and am a believer!

Interested in learning more? This post is all about 73 Life-changing self care ideas every woman should try to live a happy and fulfilled life.

8 Self Care Essential Areas

There are 8 major areas of self care that we will focus on in this post. These areas are physical, psychological, emotional, social, professional, environmental, spiritual and financial self care.

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If you haven’t already, definitely pop over and read the basics of these major areas and benefits of self care in my post: 8 Self Care Essentials Every Woman Needs to Know. This really lays the foundation for the self care ideas that you can take action on today and really feel a difference in your life. Be sure to download your FREE Self-Care Essentials Checklist at the bottom of this post!

Self Care Ideas ~ 8 Essential Areas of Self Care

Physical:

Take time for a walk and to enjoy some fresh air.
Find a workout video on your streaming service three times a week.
Plan to eat a healthy balanced diet for a week and compare how you feel to your normal diet.
Try enjoying meatless Monday ~ give your body a kickstart for the week!
Remember to take multivitamins. This is an easy thing to do and keeps you energized!
Take a few minutes in the middle of the day for prayer or meditation.
Listen to a motivational podcast while out on a walk.
Take a nice bubble bath!
Focus on getting adequate sleep to re-energize you for tomorrow.

UPDATE: We added a new post on Physical Self-Care HERE!

Psychological:

Keep a journal that you write in daily (some days will be brief and that’s ok!)
Read a book for inspiration
Set aside time to look specifically for motivation regarding psychological self care (Pinterest, Instagram, Google, etc.)
Have a day with no technology to clear your mind
Learn a new craft or skill
Sign up for a masterclass and enhance that skill you have been wanting to get better at!
Teach someone to do something new
Set mini goals for yourself with a “reward” when you reach it!
Set aside time to reflect on an important decision that needs to be made (consider your core values)

Emotional:

Create a Thankful Thursday jar and put a note in it every Thursday for something you are thankful for
Start a gratitude journal or add a gratitude section to your journal
Schedule a time once a month to thank someone specifically for an impact they have had on you
Consider someone who is struggling with something in your prayers or meditation
Dedicate a small amount of time specifically for reflection on your feelings (make it a set time or you won’t stick to it)
Do something kind for someone else – this could be for a stranger or someone you know
Take time to reflect on your own personal boundaries ~ I wrote about this more on Tips for Living a Fulfilled Life
Say no when saying yes is just not healthy or helpful (This is very important. Hard, but important.)
Hang wall art in your home or office that reminds you to be thankful

UPDATE: Check out our new post on Emotional Self-Care Here! (Free Emotional Self Care Checklist Available)

Social:

Find a few groups to be involved in
- These can be in person or virtual (or both) depending on your time and interests
Pick something that you are interested in and find a class or group that shares that interest ~ get involved!
- These can be in person or virtual (or both) depending on your time and interests
Meet someone new … the possibilities are endless
Schedule a weekly walk with a friend or family member
Remember to stick to commitments you make with others
Send or give a note card to someone you care about every week
Reach out to someone that you have lost contact with
Schedule time to call close family and friends ~ nurture those relationships
Ask for help when you need it (Yes, we all need to do this sometimes)

Professional:

Take time to eat a balanced meal in the middle of the day (seems silly but you need the fuel)
Set clear professional boundaries
- Whether you work at home, in an office, or your home is your work – set healthy boundaries so you don’t get overwhelmed
Use a calendar or planner to keep you on track so your time doesn’t get blurred between commitments
Be sure your role and responsibilities are crystal clear
Take time to develop your professional skills
- Take a masterclass on a topic that you have been wanting to gain some insight on
- Participate in a crafting class or tutorial lesson
- Listen to a Podcast
Take time to share your knowledge with someone who could benefit from it
Don’t be afraid to negotiate your needs (this can be hard but it is necessary)

Environmental:

Declutter one area of your home or office each day (start small)
Use a “to-do” list to organize your day
Monitor your screen time on “non-work” hours
Take a few minutes to completely finish the dishes after a meal – it feels good to walk into a clean kitchen
Create a cleaning schedule to keep you on track through the week and create a clean, peaceful environment
Consider what you never use when sitting in a room or office – do you need it?
Donate 4 things a month to someone in need
Put an inspirational quote on the wall of the space where you spend the most time
Next time you go to the store, pass on the item you want but don’t need

Spiritual:

Take time daily for prayer or meditation
Reflect in a journal daily specifically on the things that drive you or matter to you
Volunteer or get involved to help others
Take a long weekend and go on a retreat with no technology (you can do it!)
Take a long walk and soak up the beauty around you
Set aside time during the day for a daily devotional or motivational book
Listen to a podcast to help you stay focused on your core values
Schedule a time to talk to a mentor or friend that shares your core beliefs
Invite a friend or family member to join you in one of these activities

Financial:

Sit down and review your actual income and monthly bills
Create a budget based on your financial review
Dedicate a reasonable amount to put in savings every month
Create a plan to pay off your smallest bill with extra money not needed when bills are calculated (don’t forget to include modest spending money so you set yourself up for success)
Consider drawing cash out for your “around town” spending for the week (it’s a LOT more real when you see what you have left)
If you have kids, set aside money for college monthly (it comes quicker than you can ever imagine)
- A little bit over a long period of time goes a long way!
Look at other options for lowering your bills (internet, streaming, tv, cell phones, etc.)
Consider selling some of the items you no longer need or use (this is a great way to save a little extra and use the money for your weekly spending)
Dedicate some money to a weekly, bi-monthly or monthly date night (whatever works for you ~ girls night or with your person!)

Self Care for Women

Work your way through these with the ones you feel most comfortable with first. The best way to work through them is to schedule them out. I am a BIG BELIEVER in scheduling and planning what we need to do. If you write it down and add it to the list of things that you need to accomplish in your day you are MUCH more likely to do it. The final idea to help you make your self care a priority is;